Four out of seven members are projected starters
Maybe it’s just me, but it doesn’t feel that long ago that we were debating who the Las Vegas Raiders would or should select with the 17th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Now, those players are entering their fourth season and, for some, the final year of their rookie contracts.
The Raiders’ 2021 class was a bit of a mixed bag. Four out of seven picks are still on the roster and are projected to be starters during this upcoming season, which is a good hit rate. However, the other three are either out of the league or barely clinging to their careers.
So, let’s take a look at where these guys are and get some updates on how they’re doing.
First Round (pick 17): Alex Leatherwood
The Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock era was known for making reaches in the first round of the draft, Leatherwood being one of the biggest. He started as a rookie, first at right tackle before sliding inside to guard, but played poorly and was released the following year when Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler took over.
The Alabama product was picked up by the Chicago Bears after getting cut by Las Vegas, but he only took 32 snaps in Chicago, per Pro Football Focus, before getting let go the following season after struggling in the preseason.
He did sign to the Cleveland Browns’ practice squad but never saw any game action and wasn’t re-signed this offseason, making him a current free agent. He might get picked up if another club has an injury to an offensive lineman, but it’s looking like Leatherwood will go from first-round pick out of the league in just a few years.
[UPDATE: 5/29 11:34 a.m. PT]: ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported, about an hour after this article was published, that Leatherwood has signed with the Los Angeles Chargers. So the former first-round pick gets another chance to revive his career.
Chargers signed former Raiders first-round pick Alex Leatherwood, who has started 17-of-21 NFL games played with the Raiders and Bears.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 29, 2024
Second Round (pick 43): Tre’von Moehrig
Outside of a sophomore slump in 2022, Moehrig has been a good player for the Silver and Black. He’s coming off a strong campaign with three interceptions, eight passes defended and 83 total tackles, all of which were career-highs. The former TCU Horned Frog is one of the Raiders’ projected starters from this draft class and may be in store for a contract extension this summer.
Third Round (pick 79): Malcolm Koonce
Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images
After a couple of pedestrian years where he struggled to see the field, Koonce had a breakout season last fall with eight sacks and 43 total tackles. For comparison, he entered 2023 with just two career sacks and 12 tackles.
Much like Moehrig, the Buffalo product is a projected starter heading into training camp and might receive a raise soon. The Raiders could use another edge rusher to play on the other side of Maxx Crosby for the long haul, and Koonce’s play a year ago gives them an in-house option.
Third Round (pick 80): Divine Deablo
Deablo is an interesting case. He became a starter toward the end of his rookie season and has held down that spot since then, serving as the team’s third projected starter from the 2021 draft class. However, the third-round pick’s play has been average at best and the team could find an upgrade over him.
With Robert Spillane out playing Deablo last year and also entering a contract year, in addition to adding Tommy Eichenberg in this spring’s draft, this could be Deablo’s last season with the club.
Fourth Round (pick 143): Tyree Gillespie
You might not remember Gillespie as his tenure with the Raiders didn’t last long. He participated in just 13 regular season snaps defensively as a rookie and was traded to the Tennessee Titans for a conditional seventh-round pick during training camp the following season. However, he didn’t make the Titans’ roster.
Since then, Gillespie has been on the Jacksonville Jaguars’ and Kansas City Chiefs’ practice squads and had a brief stint with the Houston Texans sandwiched between those stops. The Chiefs re-signed him earlier in the offseason but then waived him at the beginning of May. Injuries have haunted the Missouri product throughout his career, which is likely coming to an end.
Fifth Round (pick 167): Nate Hobbs
Photo by Kirby Lee/Getty Images
Hobbs is the fourth and final starter who is still on the roster from the draft class and is arguably the best player to come from it. When healthy, he’s proven to be a valuable slot corner who can cover the flats and play the run. The problem is he’s been bitten by the injury bug over the last two years, missing 10 games during that timeframe.
Extending the Illinois product will be another tough decision the front office has to make soon as an argument could be made to get ahead of re-signing him or seeing how this season plays out.
Seventh Round (pick 230): Jimmy Morrissey
After failing to make the roster as a rookie, Morrissey is another guy the fan base may have forgotten about. He managed to earn a spot on Las Vegas’ practice squad but was picked up by the Houston Texans in October of 2021.
The Pittsburgh product got some playing time in Houston, participating in 14 games with four starts in three years, but was primarily on the Texans’ practice squad over the last two years. This offseason, he inked a future/reserve contract with the New York Giants, where he’ll play for former Raiders’ offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo.